Tornado Watch 285

Issued

May 7, 2003, 10:50 AM CDT (15:50 UTC)

Expired

May 7, 2003, 4:00 PM CDT

In force

5 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

• Mesoscale Discussion 816May 7, 7:06 AM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 817May 7, 9:47 AM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 822May 7, 1:54 PM CDT

000 
WWUS20 KWNS 071550
SEL5  
SPC WW 071550
ARZ000-LAZ000-MSZ000-072100-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 285 
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 
1050 AM CDT WED MAY 7 2003

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF 

       FAR SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS
       FAR NORTHEAST LOUISIANA
       CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI

EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON FROM 1050 AM UNTIL
400 PM CDT.

TORNADOES...HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 65 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND
SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 40 MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF COLUMBUS
MISSISSIPPI TO 85 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GREENVILLE MISSISSIPPI.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.
PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...THIS TORNADO WATCH REPLACES TORNADO
WATCH NUMBER 282. WATCH NUMBER 282 WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER
1050 AM CDT. CONTINUE...WW 284...


DISCUSSION...CURRENT HP SUPERCELL NORTH OF CBM WILL SHIFT INTO
AL...THOUGH SECOND MCS/CLUSTER OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS NOW
CROSSING THE LOWER MS RIVER.  SUFFICIENT HEATING WILL OCCUR ACROSS
CENTRAL MS TO SUPPORT CONTINUED INTENSIFICATION/FURTHER DEVELOPMENT
OF STRONG/SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS WW...ESPECIALLY
NEAR OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES.  DEEP LAYER SHEAR REMAINS SUPPORTIVE OF
SUPERCELLS AND SEVERE MULTICELL CLUSTERS...WITH THE THREAT OF
ISOLATED TORNADOES.

AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500.
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24035.


...EVANS

320,0881 313,0920 333,0920 340,0881

Tornado Watches in Mississippi, 2003Tornado Watches in Louisiana, 2003Tornado Watches in Arkansas, 2003Every tornado watch in 2003

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.